Coffee machine with dispensing regulation and a method relating thereto

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a coffee machine for producing and dispensing coffee-based beverages comprising a hydraulic pump ( 35 ), at least one dispensing device ( 13 ) comprising a filter unit ( 31 ) apt to contain ground coffee and a supply unit ( 14 ) apt to supply water to the filter unit when the filter unit is engaged with the supply unit and a hydraulic circuit which brings the hydraulic pump into fluid communication with the supply unit of the dispensing device, the hydraulic circuit comprising a supply duct ( 11 ) which supplies hot water under pressure to the supply unit, characterized in that it further comprises a system for controlling the dispensing pressure which comprises a control unit ( 22 ), a pressure sensor ( 21 ) disposed along the hydraulic circuit and apt to generate a control signal representative of the pressure detected, the pressure sensor being electronically connected to a control unit to detect the dispensing pressure, and a hydraulic variable-flow valve ( 36 ) disposed along the hydraulic circuit and apt to supply variable quantities of water to at least one dispensing device, the variable-flow valve being actuated by an electronic drive controlled electronically by the control unit in order to regulate the flow rate of water output as a function of a detected dispensing pressure value. 
     The invention relates, moreover, to a method for controlling the dispensing pressure in a coffee machine.

This application claims priority to EP Application No. 09425423.2 filed23 Oct. 2009, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated byreference.

The present invention relates to a coffee machine provided with waterpressure regulation and a method for controlling the pressure in thefilter chamber of a coffee machine.

Coffee, as a drink, has always been very widespread and popular; infact, it is nowadays available in many forms which differ from oneanother in terms both of their starting blend and the way in which thebeverage is extracted.

Espresso coffee is in particular a beverage obtained using a coffeemachine which forces hot water to pass through a layer of ground coffee,i.e. coffee powder, contained in an infusion container, generally ametal filter. The water which passes through the layer of coffee has tobe heated to a certain temperature and is subject to a certain pressure,the optimum temperature and pressure being selected, among other things,in relation to the starting blend.

Coffee powder for the preparation of espresso coffee is typicallyobtained by grinding or milling roasted coffee beans.

In order to force hot water to pass through the coffee powder, theinitial machines used the thrust of the pressure generated by thesaturated steam boiler having a value of 1-1.5 bar. A pressure of from 1to 1.5 bar corresponds to a temperature of more than 100° C. andtherefore, as for obtaining a high quality beverage the water for itspreparation should not exceed 100° C., the coffee obtained from themachines tended to have a “burnt” taste.

To remedy this problem, coffee machines were developed with mechanicalcompression means which made it possible to obtain an infusion atapproximately 100° C. with a relatively high pressure.

Swiss Patent CH 262 232 discloses a tap for an apparatus for thepreparation of espresso coffee which comprises a cylinder communicatingwith the lower portion of the boiler and containing a hollow pistonadapted to be raised in opposition to a spring, allowing the water toenter the piston, and to be lowered under the action of the spring inorder to expel the water through the base of the cylinder formed by adetachable filter adapted to contain the ground coffee.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,878,747 discloses a coffee machine which includes aboiler for boiling water, a coffee percolator borne by a support bracketand comprising an infusion chamber, a cylinder above the chamber havingan inlet, a duct connecting the inlet with the boiler to enable boilingwater to be conveyed into the cylinder, and a piston moving in areciprocating manner in the cylinder in order to control the inlet andforce the boiling water into the infusion chamber when the piston islowered.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,119,322 discloses a coffee machine which has a containerfor the infusion of the water, a pump for generating pressure in thecontainer, an electric motor for supplying the pump and coffeepreparation units connected to the container which have simpledistribution cocks, a rotary shaft disposed along the units and providedwith cams, a switch in the motor circuit positioned such that it can beactuated by the shaft, in which the cocks have manual operation leverseach positioned so as to engage one of the cams in order to rotate theshaft which actuates the switch and starts the motor.

In order to counter the greater thrust of the water in the infusionchamber as a result of mechanical systems, the coffee is generallyfinely ground so as to increase the overall contact surface with thewater and improve the extraction of the beverage while using smallerquantities of ground coffee.

With the development of hydraulic devices to increase the pressure ofthe water supplied to the infusion chamber without having to vary thetemperature, it has been possible to generate high pressures of as muchas 10 bar or more. It has nevertheless been observed that the use of apressure above 10 bar may have adverse effects. Raising the pressurebeyond a certain value makes it necessary in practice to grind thecoffee very finely and thus to refine the filters with the result thatthe excessively fine grinding could ultimately cause the filter tobecome obstructed leading to problems of high stresses on the sealingmembers and ducts, thereby worsening the quality of the beverage.

Patent application EP 1210893 discloses a coffee extraction device in amachine dispensing drinks in cups, in which the coffee is produced bysupplying the hot water to a cylinder provided with a piston in whichthe raw material is loaded in order to pressurise the interior of thecylinder so as to percolate and extract the concentrated solutionthrough a filter. The apparatus is provided with a pump for the hotwater and means for controlling the pump apt to vary the quantity of hotwater supplied to the cylinder.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,230,974 discloses a distribution head for a coffeemachine which allows for an infusion time interval between the openingof the cock and the distribution of the beverage. In practice, beforeapplying the thrust to obtain the pressure value needed to dispense thecoffee, the ground coffee powder is filled for a certain period of timewith water at a pressure lower than the dispensing pressure, for example1.5 bar.

Typically, in current preparations of espresso or filter coffee, thetemperature of the water supplied to the infusion chamber is betweenapproximately 88 and 98° C. and in some machines the pressure variesfrom approximately 0.8 to 1.5 bar in the initial infusion period and isthen increased to approximately 9 bar during the extraction of thebeverage.

Patent Application EP 0934719 discloses a method for preparing anespresso coffee from a predetermined dose of coffee powder through whicha predetermined quantity of hot water is passed under the action of apump at a given maximum pressure, which comprises a preliminary stepduring which the dose of coffee powder is wetted by an initial quantityof hot water at a pressure below the given maximum pressure for acertain period of time.

The size of the ground coffee grains is a variable which determines thefinal result of the beverage.

Patent application WO 2009/010190 discloses a method for controlling acoffee machine grinder comprising a step of measuring the actual valueof a physical quantity relating to the percolation process and a step ofmodifying the ground coffee grain size at least for the next percolationso that a possible detected deviation between the actual value measuredand a reference value for the physical quantity is compensated. Thephysical quantity may be the percolation flow, the percolation time orthe hydraulic pressure in the percolation circuit.

As coffee prepared by the extraction method has spread throughout thevarious countries, it has been adapted to existing tastes and customs.Generally, a distinction is made between an espresso coffee(Mediterranean) dispensed into a cup in a quantity which may typicallyvary from 15 to 25 cm³ and a “café creme” dispensed into a cup in aquantity which may typically vary from 100 to 120 cm³, the totaldispensing time being roughly equal in both cases, for example 25seconds. There are obviously many variants within these two kinds ofcoffee.

In order to obtain the desired quantity of a particular kind of coffeein the same dispensing time, the flow of the water to be dispensed hasto be varied by adapting the fineness of the grinding in order to changethe resistance with which the coffee contained in the filter opposes thepassage of the water.

By their nature, coffee blends differ in terms of their quality,consistency, fat content, degree of roasting and humidity. A variationeven in only one of these properties makes it advisable to correct thefineness of the grinding in order to keep the flow of dispensing watercharacterising a given type of coffee constant. On the other hand, it isdifficult accurately to control the grinding process and the resultingground compound is generally formed by a distribution of small grainswhose shape and dimensions vary. As a result, a dose of ground coffeetaken from the grinder is never exactly the same as another, causing theresistance with which the ground coffee opposes the water to fluctuatearound the optimum value and therefore a variation in the rate of flowof the water with a resulting variation in the pressure of the waterduring dispensing. The dispensing time may be taken as a referenceparameter for the resistance opposed by the water. If the coffee is toofinely ground, the water will take a long time to pass through thepowder leading to excessive extraction which gives the beverage anunpleasant taste. If the coffee is too coarsely ground, the water passesthrough the powder rapidly without managing to extract much of thesubstances.

The Applicants have observed that, preferably, once a nominal referencevalue for the dispensing time, t_(e), has been determined, for examplefrom an evaluation of the statistical type of the quality of thebeverages resulting from a number of dispensing operations, thedispensing time, t_(e), should not vary from a given nominal valueoutside a certain variability interval. For example, if t_(e) ^(o) is 25seconds, t_(e)=25±1 s with a maximum standard deviation of +3 seconds. Adispensing time outside the variability interval may indicate that an“anomalous” resistance with which the content of the filter is opposingthe water and therefore that the quality of the resulting beverage mayhave deteriorated.

The Applicants have observed that it would be advantageous in particularto be able to dispense the beverage in a controlled manner, and possiblyto act on the water pressure in response to a variation in the grainsize of the coffee.

An object of the present invention is to provide a coffee machine ableto dispense beverages prepared from different blends of raw materialand/or ground to different finenesses and/or defined by differentpreparation processes.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a coffee machinewhich makes it possible to control the whole cycle of pressurisation ofthe coffee during dispensing by acting on the value of the flow of waterin order to enable a regulation of the preparation of the beverage witha view to ensuring a high quality beverage.

According to an aspect, the present invention is directed to a coffeemachine comprising a dispensing pressure control system. The “dispensingpressure” is intended the pressure of the water supplied to the filterunit which contains the ground coffee.

The present invention relates in particular to a coffee machine forproducing and dispensing coffee-based beverages comprising a hydraulicpump, at least one dispensing device comprising a filter unit apt tocontain coffee powder and a supply unit apt to introduce water into thefilter unit when the filter unit is connected to the supply unit and ahydraulic circuit which brings the hydraulic pump into fluidcommunication with the supply unit of the dispensing device, thehydraulic circuit comprising a supply duct which supplies hot waterunder pressure to the supply unit. The coffee machine further comprisesa dispensing pressure control system which comprises a control unit, apressure sensor disposed along the hydraulic circuit and apt to generatea control signal representative of the pressure detected, the pressuresensor being electronically connected to a control unit in order todetect the dispensing pressure, and a hydraulic variable-flow valvedisposed along the hydraulic circuit and apt to supply variablequantities of water to the at least one dispensing device, thevariable-flow valve being actuatable by an electronic drive controlledelectronically by the control unit in order to regulate the output flowrate of water as a function of a detected dispensing pressure value.

The present invention relates, moreover, to a method of controlling thedispensing pressure in a coffee machine.

The present invention relates in particular to a method for controllingthe dispensing pressure in a coffee machine for producing and dispensingcoffee-based beverages including at least one dispensing devicecomprising a filter unit apt to contain coffee powder, the methodcomprising: supplying water to a hydraulic circuit in fluidcommunication with the at least one dispensing device and comprising avariable-flow valve apt to supply variable quantities of water to the atleast one dispensing device; supplying a predetermined quantity of watercorresponding to at least one nominal dispensing pressure value from thevariable-flow valve, the variable-flow valve being actuatable by anelectronic drive which controls the flow rate of water output from thevalve; detecting at least one water dispensing pressure value by apressure sensor disposed along the hydraulic circuit and, if the atleast one detected value of the dispensing pressure deviates from the atleast one nominal pressure value, regulating the flow rate of watersupplied by the variable-flow valve as a function of the at least onedetected pressure value.

In the present description and the accompanying claims, “infusion”indicates the step of wetting of the coffee powder contained in thefilter and “extraction” indicates the step of using the technicalprocess which forces the hot water under pressure through the groundcoffee.

The infusion step generally takes place at pressure lower than theextraction pressure. The dispensing step indicates the overall step ofpreparation of the beverage including both the infusion and theextraction steps.

The present invention will be described in further detail below withreference to the accompanying drawings in which some but not all of itsembodiments are shown. The drawings illustrating the embodiments arediagrammatic representations and are not to scale. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a hydraulic circuit and a control circuit comprised in acoffee machine;

FIG. 2 shows a hydraulic circuit and a control circuit comprised in acoffee machine comprising at least one dispensing device, in a firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows a hydraulic circuit and a control circuit comprised in acoffee machine comprising a plurality of dispensing devices, in a secondembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a hydraulic circuit and a control circuit contained in acoffee machine having a plurality of dispensing devices, in a thirdembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 5a to 5c are graphical representations of the water pressure as afunction of time for a single dispensing step, according to someembodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a hydraulic circuit for an espresso coffeemachine which supplies a coffee dispensing device shown overall by 13. Aconventional boiler 1 for the production of hot water and steam issupplied in a conventional manner (not shown in the figure) by anexternal water source of cold water 2. The water source 2, by means of aduct 3 and a hydraulic pump 4, supplies a heat exchanger 5, alsoconventional, disposed within the boiler 1. The hydraulic pump 4 is amotor pump actuated by an electronic drive.

The output of the heat exchanger 5 supplies heated water via a duct 6 toa mixing point 7 which is also reached by a duct 8 connected to the duct3 supplying cold water.

Flow calibrators, shown by 9 and 10 respectively, are optionallyincluded on the hot water duct 6 and on the cold water duct 8, upstreamof the mixing point 7.

These flow calibrators make it possible to regulate the quantity of coldwith respect to hot water so as to obtain a flow of mixed water in thesupply duct 11 at a supply temperature T1. Downstream of the mixingpoint 7, the mixed water reaches the dispensing device 13.

The dispensing device 13 comprises a supply unit 14 for discharging thewater under pressure to a filter unit 31 which comprises a filter-holder15, a filter 16 and a nozzle 17 for dispensing the coffee under which acollection cup 18 is disposed in operation. In the shown example, thesupply unit 14 includes a heating chamber 12, in the form of a smallboiler, and a dispensing duct 25 obtained in the supply unit 14 and, inthis particular example, in the structure acting as the base of theheating chamber, the duct communicating immediately upstream of thefilter 16.

Connection means 19 are provided on the supply unit 14 for thedetachable connection of the filter-holder 15.

The plurality of ducts which bring the pump into fluid communicationwith the dispensing device, and in particular with the filter unit, forma hydraulic circuit.

In the heating chamber 12 an electrical resistance 20 is provided forheating the water to a dispensing temperature T2 suitable for theformation of the coffee beverage, which temperature is greater than thetemperature T1 of the water downstream of the mixing point 7 which actsas a source as regards the heating chamber 12.

The hot water under pressure is caused to flow through the supply duct11 to the heating chamber 12 via the inlet 30, in which chamber isstabilised in temperature, and is then introduced into the filter unit31. More particularly, the water is introduced into the filter-holder 15via a duct 23 which connects the outlet 24 of the heating chamber 12 tothe inlet 29 of the dispensing duct 25.

The duct 23 is provided with an electrovalve 26 which has two operatingpositions. This electrovalve 26, in one position, causes the water to besupplied to the filter-holder and thus the formation of the beverage,and in the other position it discontinues the supply of the water andcommunicates with a discharge 27 external to the machine.

A pressure sensor 21 is disposed along the hydraulic circuit in fluidcommunication with the pump and the dispensing device. The pressuresensor is preferably disposed along the connection duct 23 whichsupplies the water under pressure from the heating chamber 12 to thedispensing duct 25, upstream of the electrovalve 26 or downstream of theelectrovalve 26, in the vicinity of the inlet 29 of the duct 25. In aparticular preferred embodiment, the pressure sensor is disposedupstream of the intercepting electrovalve in order to prevent any groundcoffee residue from the dispensing duct from soiling the sensor.

The pressure sensor 21 is apt to generate a control signalrepresentative of the water pressure and is connected to a control unit22 such as an electronic central processing unit (CPU). The pressuresensor is, for example, a transducer which supplies the control unit 22with a signal proportional to the pressure of the water reaching thedispensing device and in particular the filter unit 31.

The operating positions of the electrovalve 26 are preferably controlledby the control unit 22.

The control lines through which the control signals from and to thecontrol unit 22 pass are shown by dashed lines in the drawings.

In a preferred embodiment, the water supplied to the inlet 30 of theheating chamber 12 from the supply duct 11 downstream of the mixingpoint 7 is already at a relatively high supply temperature T1 (forexample not lower than approximately 80° C.) and therefore the heatingtime needed to reach the optimum temperature T2 for the formation of thebeverage (for example, approximately 90° C.) is short, thereby reducingthe time needed for the preparation of the beverage and in particulareliminating waiting times between the dispensing of one dose of coffeeand the following dose as a result of having to wait for the water toreach the required temperature. According to an embodiment, thetemperature T1 is from 10 to 20° C. lower than the temperature T2.

In the case of a relatively high temperature T1, the electrical powerneeded for the electrical resistance 20 to start and to stabilise thetemperature to the temperature T2 for the preparation of the beverage isrelatively low, for example not higher than 0.8 kW, even when dispensingrelatively large quantities of beverage, for example from 120 to 250cm³.

The operation of the heating resistance 20 is preferably controlled by atemperature sensor (not shown in the figure) in contact with the waterin the heating chamber in order to detect the dispensing temperature T2and is logically connected to the CPU 22.

The hydraulic circuit is preferably provided with a flow ratemeasurement device 28 apt to measure the flow of water passing throughit. The device 28 is connected to the control unit 22 to which it sendsa signal representative of the measured flow rate of water. For example,the device 28 supplies the control unit 22 with electrical pulses whosenumber is proportional to the quantity of water passing though it inaccordance with a metering constant expressed in cm³/pulse.

In an embodiment, the device 28 is of the type disclosed in BritishPatent Application GB 2 008 540.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the device is disposed on the cold waterduct 3 downstream of the pump 4. The frequency with which the controlunit receives these pulses is directly proportional to the flow rate ofwater supplied to the hydraulic circuit by the pump 4 and therefore tothe dispensing device.

In the machine shown in FIG. 1, the pump 4 is actuated at variable speedby an electronic drive (for example a variable speed drive, VSD) viawhich the speed of rotation of the pump may be varied. The pump is, forexample, actuated by a variable frequency electronic drive, whosefrequency variation corresponds to a variation of the speed of rotationof the pump. In this way it is possible to vary the flow of watersupplied by the pump to the duct 3 and therefore the water pressure. Thequantity of water supplied to the hydraulic circuit corresponding to onedispensing operation, or in one dispensing step, depends on the type ofcoffee, for example 20 cm³ for an espresso coffee.

The pump, or the electronic control unit connected to the pump motor, isconnected to the control unit 22 which regulates the speed of rotationof the pump and therefore the pressure of the water supplied to thehydraulic circuit.

A flow of water and a “nominal” pressure of the water supplied to thehydraulic circuit correspond to a speed of rotation of the pump actuatedfor a given period of time. The “actual” dispensing pressure is measuredby the pressure sensor, preferably in the vicinity of the dispensingdevice. A deviation between the nominal pressure and the actual pressuremay indicate an “anomalous” dispensing and therefore a possibledeterioration of the quality of the beverage.

The flow of water supplied by the pump as a function of the dispensingpressure detected may be regulated manually by an operator and/or bymeans of an automatic regulation in which the signals received by thepressure sensor and the electronic control device of the pump form afeedback loop controlled by the control unit.

Preferably, the system for controlling pressure included in the coffeemachine enables automatic regulation of the dispensing pressure, inwhich the signals received by the pressure sensor, the electroniccontrol device of the pump and the water flow rate measurement deviceform a feedback loop.

At the beginning of a dispensing operation, for example, the pump 4 isstarted with a certain speed of rotation corresponding to the supply ofa predetermined flow of water to the hydraulic circuit and therefore toa nominal dispensing pressure value, for example 9 bar. The watersupplied by the pump passes through the flow measurement device 28 whichmeasures its actual rate of flow (for example in cm³/s). If the controlunit detects, from the flow measurement device, a flow which is too lowor in general below the flow corresponding to the nominal pressure (forexample the frequency of the pulses received by the device is too low),the dispensing operation is taking place more slowly, because, forexample, the coffee in the filter is too finely ground, leading to anincrease in the dispensing time with respect to the nominal dispensingtime, for example 25 seconds. If, on the other hand, the control unitdetects a flow which is too high, the dispensing operation is takingplace too rapidly, because, for example, the coffee in the filter is toocoarsely ground, leading to a reduction of the dispensing time withrespect to the nominal dispensing time. When it detects a flow whichdoes not correspond to the optimum flow value, the control unit adjuststhe speed of rotation of the pump until the flow reaches the optimumvalue. The control unit also receives the actual dispensing pressurevalue. The control unit stops the pump when the quantity of water whichhas passed through the flow rate measurement device is equal to thequantity of water corresponding to one dispensing operation.

It is also possible for the pressure to have a predetermined value or tofollow a predetermined curve of values during the dispensing operation.

The control unit may be operationally associated with a display and aninput device such as a keyboard which may be operated by an operator inorder to control and/or modify the flow of water supplied to thehydraulic circuit and therefore the dispensing pressure.

The above description, referring to FIG. 1, relates to a coffee machinewith a single dispensing unit. If the coffee machine comprises aplurality of dispensing units, the speed of rotation of the hydraulicpump may be controlled by providing each dispensing unit with ahydraulic pump in fluid communication with its respective dispensingunit.

However, providing a coffee machine with a plurality of hydraulic pumpsmay significantly increase the costs of producing and maintaining themachine and may not therefore be desirable. Moreover, the inclusion of aplurality of pumps generally increases the overall bulk within themachine, making it more difficult to produce compact machines.

Again with reference to the hydraulic circuit of FIG. 1, the use of asingle hydraulic pump to supply water to more than one dispensingdevice, i.e. to a plurality of dispensing devices, is envisaged. If, forexample, in a machine with two dispensing devices it is wished todispense a coffee from the first of the two dispensing devices when thesecond is already in operation and the pump has therefore already beenstarted, it would be difficult to independently select the dispensing ofthe beverage from the two devices or even to enable correct dispensingfrom one of the devices. For example, if it is wished to cause a step ofinfusion to precede the step of extraction of the beverage from thesecond dispensing device, it is not possible to delay the start of thepump because it would be necessary to stop the pump thereby altering thedispensing operation which is already underway from the first dispensingdevice.

The Applicants have realised that, in a coffee machine with a pluralityof dispensing devices, if the hydraulic circuit of each dispensingdevice is provided with a hydraulic valve whose output flow rate ofwater can be regulated, it is possible to provide a system forcontrolling the dispensing pressure which is able to control the supplyfrom each dispensing device in an independent manner.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a hydraulic circuit and a control circuitincluded in a coffee machine according to a second embodiment of thepresent invention. Identical reference numerals are used for componentsidentical to or performing similar functions to the components ofFIG. 1. The embodiment of FIG. 2 differs from the embodiment of FIG. 1chiefly in that it comprises a hydraulic pump 35 which is notnecessarily of variable speed. In one embodiment, the pump 35 has afixed flow rate and is for example actuated by a motor at a constantspeed of rotation which supplies water at a constant pressure thrust.The motor may be coupled to an electronic control device connected tothe control unit 22 which controls the actuation and de-activation ofthe pump.

In one embodiment, the hydraulic pump 35 may be actuated at variablespeed, enabling the value of the speed of rotation set during theoperation of the machine to be controlled. This may be advantageous ifit is wished to set an appropriate value for the speed of rotation ofthe pump which takes account, in addition to the thrust needed fordispensing, of the load losses on the valves operating along thehydraulic circuit.

A hydraulic variable-flow valve 36 is disposed along the hydrauliccircuit which brings the hydraulic pump into fluid communication withthe dispensing device 13. The valve is driven by an electronic driveconnected to the control unit 22 which controls the flow of waterthrough the valve. The control unit in particular regulates the flowrate of water output from the valve, thereby making it possible tocontrol the pressure introduced into the supply duct of the hydrauliccircuit and therefore into the dispensing device.

In preferred embodiments, the valve 36 is a proportional electrovalve.The proportional electrovalve is driven, for example, by an electronicdrive used to regulate a variable throttle which controls the flowoutput from the valve by varying the input voltage of the electronicdrive. The voltage is regulated by the control unit.

The control unit 22 monitors the pressure of the water supplied to thedispensing device by means of the pressure sensor 21. The electronicdrive of the variable-flow valve actuates the outlet opening and iscontrolled by the control unit to select a predetermined outlet openingvalue, e.g. a predetermined value of the cross-section to the flow ofwater passing through the outlet opening, so as to maintain the pressureat a certain predetermined value within a time interval, or to vary theoutlet opening within the time interval so that the water pressureduring the dispensing operation follows a predetermined curve.

In a machine of this type, by monitoring the dispensing pressure, it ispossible to adjust the value of the pressure when the coffee dispensingstep is taking place by acting on the output of flow rate of water fromthe flow regulation valve 36 by means of the control unit 22. It is alsopossible to program, through the control unit 22, the dispensingoperation to take place in accordance with a predetermined pressurecurve which may be chosen depending on the type of coffee that it isdesired to obtain.

It is also possible to control, and if necessary, to adjust the value ofthe dispensing pressure, at least for the next dispensing operation andin some embodiments during the dispensing operation itself.

In preferred embodiments, the machine comprises a flow rate measurementdevice 28. During the dispensing step, by monitoring the flow rate ofwater detected by the device 28, the control unit 22 can modify theopening of the flow regulation valve in order to increase or decreasethe quantity of water urged by the pump into the dispensing device as afunction of the optimum flow rate desired for a certain kind of coffee,possibly correcting adverse effects caused by a variation in the grainsize of the coffee powder and/or the type of coffee (e.g, blend).

It will be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to aparticular manner of supplying hot water at a dispensing temperature tothe dispensing duct.

For example, in one embodiment, the heating chamber receives water atambient temperature which is heated to the temperature T2 by theresistance disposed in the heating chamber. In this embodiment, the hotwater duct 6, which conveys the water from the heat exchanger to bemixed with the cold water from the duct 8 upstream of the heatingchamber, is omitted and the heating chamber is supplied solely by thewater from the duct 8.

Again by way of example, in one embodiment the dispensing device doesnot comprise a heating chamber and the supply duct in fluidcommunication with the dispensing device supplies water under pressureat the dispensing temperature to the supply unit.

The valve 36 is preferably disposed along the cold water duct 3, morepreferably downstream of the flow rate measurement device 28. Thepresent invention includes an embodiment in which the valve 36 isdisposed upstream of the flow rate measurement device.

In a different embodiment (not shown), the pressure sensor is disposedalong the supply duct 11.

In a further embodiment (not shown), the pressure sensor is disposed inthe heating chamber 12.

In general, it is preferable for the pressure sensor to measure theactual pressure of the water supplied to the filter unit. The sensor ispreferably disposed in the proximity of the dispensing device.

The regulation of the flow rate of water supplied by the variable-flowvalve as a function of the detected dispensing pressure can be carriedout manually by an operator and/or by means of automatic regulation inwhich the signals received by the pressure sensor and the electronicdrive of the variable-flow valve form a feedback loop controlled by thecontrol unit.

Preferably, the pressure control system contained in the coffee machineenables automatic regulation of the dispensing pressure, in which thesignals received by the pressure sensor, by the electronic drive of thevariable-flow valve and by the water flow rate measurement device form afeedback loop.

For example, at the start of a dispensing operation, the variable-flowvalve 36 is actuated in order to supply a predetermined flow rate ofwater to the dispensing device; for example, the control unit selects agiven cross-section of the outlet opening of the valve corresponding toa nominal dispensing pressure value, e.g. 9 bar. Upstream or downstreamof the variable-flow valve, the water supplied by the pump passesthrough the flow measurement device which measures its actual rate offlow (for example in cm³/s). As the flow rate measurement device isdisposed along the hydraulic circuit in fluid communication with thedispensing device, the flow rate of water which passes through it isaffected by the dispensing process which is taking place in thedispensing device.

If the control unit detects, from the flow rate measurement device, aflow which is too low or in general below that corresponding to thenominal flow rate (for example, the frequency of the pulses received bythe device is too low), the dispensing operation is taking place moreslowly, because, for example, the coffee in the filter is too finelyground, leading to an increase in the dispensing time with respect tothe nominal dispensing time, e.g. 25 seconds. If, on the other hand, thecontrol unit detects a flow rate which is too high, the dispensingoperation is taking place too rapidly, because, for example, the coffeein the filter is too coarsely ground, leading to a reduction of thedispensing time with respect to the nominal dispensing time. When itdetects a flow rate which does not correspond to the optimum flow ratevalue, the control unit adjusts the outlet opening of the variable-flowvalve until the flow rate reaches the optimum value. The control unitalso receives the actual dispensing pressure value. The control unitcloses the opening of the valve when the quantity of water metered bythe flow measurement device is equal to the quantity of watercorresponding to one dispensing operation. The regulation of the flowrate of water causes the dispensing time to be substantially equal tothe nominal dispensing time, for example 25 s±1 s.

FIG. 3 shows a hydraulic circuit and a control circuit comprised in acoffee machine according to a further embodiment of the invention. Thecoffee machine of FIG. 3 comprises a plurality of dispensing devices 50a, 50 b and 50 c. The number of dispensing devices is no more thanindicative and the present invention is not limited to a particularnumber of dispensing devices. Each dispensing device 50 a, 50 b and 50 ccomprises a respective supply unit 51 a, 51 b and 51 c and a respectivefilter unit 52 a, 52 b and 52 c. A flow of water 47 from a water source(not shown) reaches a hydraulic pump 46 which supplies water to a sourceduct 52. A plurality of cold water ducts 48 a, 48 b and 48 c lead fromthe source duet 52 and supply water in parallel to the respectivedispensing devices 50 a, 50 b and 50 c. Each cold water duct 48 a, 48 band 48 c supplies a respective heat source, for example a respectiveheat exchanger 42 a, 42 b and 42 c disposed within a common saturatedwater steam boiler 40. It will be appreciated that the heat sources maybe independent primary heaters, for example of the type disclosed in WO91/07898.

At the outlet of each heat exchanger 42 a, 42 b and 42 c, a respectivesupply duct 49 a, 49 b and 49 c supplies hot water to the respectivedispensing device, in particular to the respective supply unit 51 a, 51b and 51 c.

Each cold water duct 48 a, 48 b and 48 c is provided with a respectivehydraulic variable-flow valve 44 a, 44 b and 44 c, preferably aproportional electrovalve, connected to a control unit 41 which controlsthe flow of water introduced into the heat exchanger and then to thesupply duct of the respective dispensing device.

Preferably, a respective flow rate measurement device 45 a, 45 b and 45c is disposed along each cold water duct, preferably upstream of thevalve 44 a, 44 b and 44 c. Each cold water duct supplies a respectiveheat exchanger 42 a, 42 b and 42 c within a boiler 40.

A respective pressure sensor 43 a, 43 b and 43 c is disposed in eachsupply duct 49 a, 49 b and 49 c and is connected to the control unit 41which receives the signals representative of the detected dispensingpressure supplied by the pressure sensors.

Although not shown in the drawings, in which the structural details ofthe dispensing device are not shown, each supply unit 51 a, 51 b and 51c comprises a dispensing duct which supplies hot water under pressure tothe filter unit. In one embodiment, the supply unit comprises adispensing duct obtained in the body of the supply unit. The waterreaches the dispensing duct from the respective supply duct 49 a, 49 band 49 c at a given dispensing temperature.

In a machine embodied in this way, it possible to regulate the value ofthe pressure during the dispensing step of the coffee for eachdispensing device by acting on the flow rate of water output from thevariable-flow valve via the control unit 41. It is also possible toprogram, again via the control unit 41, the dispensing operation to takeplace according to a predetermined pressure curve which may be selectedas a function of the type of coffee which it is desired to obtain.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a hydraulic and control circuit for a coffeemachine comprising a plurality of dispensing devices according to afurther embodiment of the present invention. Identical referencenumerals are used for components identical to or having equivalentfunctions to the components of FIG. 3.

A plurality of cold water ducts 68 a, 68 b and 68 c, each provided witha respective variable-flow valve 44 a, 44 b and 44 c, lead from thesource duct 52. Each variable-flow valve is apt to generate a controlsignal representative of the flow of water supplied to the respectivedispensing device and is connected to a control unit 61 such as a CPU.

The outlet of each heat exchanger 42 a, 42 b and 42 c, via a respectiveduct 64 a, 64 b and 64 c, supplies heated water to a respective mixingpoint 69 a, 69 b and 69 c which is also supplied by a respective coldwater supply duct 63 a, 63 b and 63 c connected to the duct 68 a, 68 band 68 c.

Flow calibrators shown by 65 are preferably included in each hot waterduct 64 a, 64 b and 64 c and in each cold water duct 63 a, 63 b and 63c, upstream of the respective mixing point 69 a, 69 b and 69 c.

These flow calibrators make it possible to adjust, for example whenstarting to use the machine, the quantity of cold with respect to hotwater in order to obtain a flow of mixed water in the supply duct at asupply temperature. Downstream of each mixing point 69 a, 69 b and 69 c,the mixed water is supplied to the respective dispensing device 60 a, 60b and 60 c. Each dispensing device 60 a, 60 b and 60 c comprises arespective supply unit 63 a, 63 b and 63 c and a respective filter unit52 a, 52 b and 52 c connected in a detachable manner to thecorresponding supply unit.

In one embodiment, each dispensing device 60 a-60 c is of the type shownin FIGS. 1 and 2. In this embodiment, each supply unit comprises aheating chamber (structural details of the dispensing devices are notshown in FIG. 4) which is supplied with water at the supply temperatureby the respective supply duct 66 a, 66 b and 66 c. The water is heatedto the dispensing temperature by heating means contained within theheating chamber of each supply unit 63 a, 63 b and 63 c and is suppliedto a respective connection duct 70 a, 70 b and 70 c to the respectivefilter unit via a dispensing duct which communicates immediatelyupstream of a filter included in the filter unit.

An intercepting electrovalve 68 a, 68 b and 68 c is disposed on therespective connection duct 70 a, 70 b and 70 c, and has at least twooperating positions: a first position in which water is supplied to thedispensing duct of the filter unit and a second position in which thesupply is cut off.

A respective pressure sensor 67 a, 67 b and 67 c is disposed along eachconnection duct 70 a, 70 b and 70 c, preferably upstream of therespective intercepting valve 68 a, 68 b and 68 c, each sensor being aptto measure the dispensing pressure of the respective dispensing device.Each pressure sensor is connected to a control unit 61 which receivesthe data relating to the pressure measured by the sensors.

The intercepting valves 68 a, 68 b and 68 c are preferably controlled bythe control unit 61 which controls their operating positions.

According to a particular feature, the invention relates to a method forcontrolling the hydraulic pressure of the water supplied to thedispensing device of a coffee machine.

FIGS. 5a to 5c are graphical representations of the water pressure as afunction of time for a single dispensing step, according to variousembodiments of the invention.

FIG. 5a shows a curve of the pressure within the dispensing timeinterval equal to t_(o) for dispensing the beverage from a dispensingdevice. In this example, once the pressure value p_(e) during dispensingof the beverage has been set, the control unit controls the electronicdrive to open the variable-flow valve (e.g. with reference to FIG. 2,valve 36) to a predetermined cross-sectional value of the outletopening. This value corresponds to a predetermined beverage extractionpressure p_(e), for example 9 bar. The pressure reaches the operatingvalue as soon as the speed of the pump reaches the predetermined value,typically in a time which is negligible with respect to the dispensingtime t_(e). The pressure curve is monitored by the control unit whichreceives the data supplied by the pressure sensor. If necessary, thecontrol unit adjusts the cross-section of the outlet opening of thevalve if the pressure value does not correspond to a certain targetvalue or if the quality of the product is altered, for example as aresult of variations in the grain size of the ground coffee. In thisway, for example, subsequent dispensing of the beverage may be carriedout with correct parameters.

In the example of FIG. 5b , the extraction pressure value p_(e) isreached in a time t_(r) with a gradual increase in the pressure from aninitial value p₀. The pressure curve of FIG. 5b may be achieved bygraduating the opening of the variable-flow valve in accordance with acurve of opening cross-sectional values which can be programmed by meansof the control unit up to a cross-sectional value corresponding to agiven extraction pressure value p_(e). The acceleration profile may beselected so that it is apt to the coffee blend being used and/or thetype of beverage to be dispensed. The pressure curve during dispensingis controlled by means of the pressure sensor which sends the data tothe control unit, the latter carrying out, where necessary, adjustmentsby acting on the outlet opening of the variable-flow valve. The controlunit preferably receives the data from the flow rate measurement deviceand, where necessary, adjusts the curve of opening of the variable-flowvalve as a function of the data received from both the pressure sensorand the flow rate measurement device.

The pressure curve shown in FIG. 5c represents a dispensing step whichcomprises an initial step of wetting followed by a step of extraction.During an initial time period t_(w) the dispensing duct of thedispensing device supplies water at a pressure having a first,relatively low, value, p_(w) (wetting step). At the time t_(w) thepressure is increased to a second value p_(e) greater than the firstvalue p_(w) the second value representing the extraction pressure(extraction step). The extraction step takes place for a predeterminedtime (t_(e)−t_(w)) where t_(e) is the total dispensing time. The curveof FIG. 5c shows the case in which the pressure changes rapidly (withrespect to the time t_(e)) from the value p_(w)), to the value p_(e).However, an embodiment may comprise a gradual increase of the pressurefrom p_(w) to p_(e) according to a stepped gradual opening of thevariable-flow valve in a manner similar to that described with referenceto FIG. 5 b.

According to an embodiment, and solely by way of example with referenceto FIG. 3, to obtain the pressure curve of FIG. 5c during dispensing ofthe beverage from the dispensing device 50 a, the control unit 41controls, at the initial dispensing time t=0, the control voltage of thevariable-flow valve 44 a, regulating the passage of the water so as toprevent the pressure in the dispensing device 50 a from rising beyondthe value p_(w), for example equal to 1.5 bar. The control unitpreferably regulates the duration of the infusion time interval t_(w)following the detection of the actual flow rate of water supplied by thevalve 44 a measured by the flow rate measurement device 45 a and, if thedetected flow rate value differs from and for example exceeds the valuep_(w), the input control voltage of the variable-flow valve isregulated. Subsequently, the electronic drive of the variable-flow valvedrives the valve to a predetermined outlet opening value for a giventime interval (t_(e)−t_(w)) which corresponds to a nominal extractionpressure p_(e). At the time t_(e) the electronic drive drives theclosing of the variable-flow valve. In general, it is possible to set,in the control unit, a pressure curve p(t) as a function of time, where0≦t≦t_(e).

During the dispensing step, by monitoring the flow of water detected bythe device, the control unit may modify the outlet opening of thevariable-flow valve in order to increase or decrease the pressuresupplied by the valve to adjust the flow of water and for example tobring it to a desired value for a certain type of dispensing. Forexample, it may be necessary to correct the pressure if there is adeviation caused by variables connected with the fineness of grindingand the nature of blends. Controlling both the flow of water by means ofthe flow rate measurement device and the dispensing pressure by means ofthe pressure sensor makes it possible to keep the dispensing processwithin an optimum range.

For example, it may be that, as a result of an anomalous presence ofcoffee which is too finely ground, an increase in the opening of thevariable-flow valve may not correspond to a greater flow rate of waterand therefore to a greater pressure of the water supplied to thedispensing device, but only further obstructs the filter causing anexcessive pressure which worsens the quality of the beverage.

The method of controlling the dispensing pressure preferably comprisesthe control of the actual flow rate of water which is supplied by thepump by means of a water flow rate measurement device disposed in thehydraulic circuit between the pump and the dispensing device. Inparticular, with reference to FIGS. 2-4, the flow measurement device 28or 45 a-45 c may be disposed in the duct (3, 48 a-48 c or 68 a-68 c)which supplies the water from the pump to the heat exchanger.

In an embodiment, the control unit may monitor whether a predetermineddispensing pressure threshold value is being exceeded, and, if so, thecontrol unit may signal this anomaly, for example by means of anacoustic or visual signal.

Although not explicitly mentioned in the preferred embodiments describedabove, the present invention may include a coffee machine which usespre-packaged pods of ground coffee.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Since numerous modifications and changes will readilyoccur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit theinvention to the exact construction and operation shown and described,and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may beresorted to, without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined in the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method for controlling the dispensingpressure in a coffee machine for producing and dispensing coffee-basedbeverages from a plurality of dispensing devices, each dispensing devicecomprising a filter unit configured for containing coffee powder, themethod comprising: providing a hydraulic circuit in fluid communicationwith the plurality of dispensing devices, the hydraulic circuitcomprising a corresponding plurality of supply ducts connected to theplurality of dispensing devices; supplying pressurized water to thehydraulic circuit by means of a pump; providing a correspondingplurality of variable-flow valves in the plurality of supply ducts, eachvariable-flow valve being constructed to vary the flow of water throughits respective supply duct to a dispensing device connected to thesupply duct, each variable-flow valve being actuatable by a respectiveelectronic drive which controls the flow rate of water output from thevariable-flow valve and which is connected to a control unit so thateach variable-flow valve can be operated independently one from anotherto control the flow rate of water output; providing a correspondingplurality of pressure sensors in the plurality of supply ducts, theplurality of pressure sensors being connected to the control unit;supplying from one of the variable-flow valves a predetermined quantityof water to its respective dispensing device corresponding to a nominaldispensing pressure value for the respective dispensing device;detecting the dispensing pressure of the respective dispensing device bymeans of the pressure sensor in the respective supply duct connected tothe respective dispensing device; and if the detected dispensingpressure deviates from the nominal dispensing pressure value for therespective dispensing device, adjusting the flow rate of water suppliedby the respective variable-flow valve connected to the respectivedispensing device while continuing the flow of water through therespective dispensing device to adjust the detected pressure value tothe nominal pressure value; whereby the variable-flow valves canindependently control the dispensing pressure of each dispensing devicewithout requiring any change in the flow of pressurized water beingsupplied by the pump, wherein the detected dispensing pressure of eachdispensing device is dependent on grain size of coffee powder containedin each dispensing device, and the variable-flow valve corresponding toeach dispensing device independently controls the dispensing pressure ofits respective dispensing device based on the grain size of the coffeecontained in the dispensing device.
 2. A method according to claim 1,wherein each variable-flow valve comprises an outlet opening forsupplying quantities of water to the respective dispensing device, andregulating the flow rate of water is performed by varying the outletopening.
 3. A method according to claim 2, wherein each variable-flowvalve is actuatable with a variable cross-section to the flow of waterof the outlet opening and supplying the predetermined quantity of watercomprises selecting at least one cross-sectional value of the outletopening, the at least one cross-sectional value corresponding to the atleast one nominal pressure value.
 4. A method according to claim 1,wherein supplying the predetermined quantity of water comprisesdetecting at least one value of the flow rate of water by means of aflow rate measurement device disposed along the hydraulic circuit.
 5. Amethod according to claim 1, further comprising selecting a nominaldispensing time and in which regulating the flow rate of water outputfrom the variable-flow valve is performed such that the predeterminedquantity of water is supplied to the filter unit in a time substantiallyequal to the nominal dispensing time.
 6. The method of claim 1, whereinthe pump operates at a fixed flow rate.